The Jesus Storybook Bible
by solodark
Summary: The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the story beneath all the stories in the Bible. It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And in the story Jesus is at the center of it all. Dislcaimer: I don't own "The Jesus Storybook Bible" or anything, all the credit goes to Sally Lloyd-Jones. This is to help others understand the Bible easily for free.
1. The Story and The Song

Author's Notes:I'm writing this down because there aren't that many good stories of God, and the ones I do find is stories twisting God into a homosexual deviant. Unbelievable, it says right in the Bible and shows God is not like, that people make things up about him.

The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the story beneath all the stories in the Bible. It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And in the story Jesus is at the center of it all.

Disclaimer: I don't own "The Jesus Storybook Bible" or anything, all the credit goes to Sally Lloyd-Jones. This is to help others understand the Bible easily for free.

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Chapter 1

The Story and The Song

Introduction from Psalm 19 and Hebrews 1

The Heavens are singing about how great God is; and the skies are shouting it out, "See what God has made!" Day after day... Night after night... They are speaking to us.  
Psalm 19:1-2 ( paraphase)

God wrote "I love you" - he wrote it in the sky, and on the earth, and under the sea. He wrote his message everywhere! Because God created everything in his world to reflect him like a mirror-to show us what he is like, to help us know him, to make our hearts sing.  
The way a kitten chases her tail. The way red poppies grow wild. The way a dolphin swims.

And God put it into words, too, and wrote it in a book called "the Bible".

Now some people think the Bible is a book of rules, telling you what you should and shouldn't do. The Bible certainly does have some rules in it. They show you how life works best. But the Bible isn't mainly about you and what you should be doing. It's about God and what he has done.

Other people think the bible is a book of heroes, showing you people you should copy. The bible does have some heroes in it, but ( as you'll soon find out) most of the people in the bible aren't heroes at all. They make some big mistakes ( sometimes on purpose). They get afraid and run away. At times they are downright mean.

No, the Bible isn't a book of rules, or a book of heroes. The Bible is most of all a story. It's an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It's a love story about a brave Prince who leaves his palace, his throne - everything - to rescue the one he loves. It's like the most wonderful fairy tales that has come true in real life!

You see, the best thing about this story is-it's true.

There are a lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story. The story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them. It takes the whole Bible to tell this story. And at the center of the story, there is a baby. Every story in the Bible whispers his name. He is like the missing piece in a puzzle- the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together, and suddenly you can see a beautiful picture.

And this is no ordinary baby. This is the Child upon whom everything would depend. This is the Child who would one day- but wait. Our story Starts where all good stories start. Right at the very beginning...


	2. The beginning: a perfect home

Author's Notes: I'm writing this down because there aren't that many good stories of God, and the ones I do find is stories twisting God into a homosexual deviant. Unbelievable, it says right in the Bible and shows God is not like, that people make things up about him. The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the story beneath all the stories in the Bible. It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And in the story Jesus is at the center of it all.

Disclaimer: I don't own "The Jesus Storybook Bible" or anything, all the credit goes to Sally Lloyd-Jones. This is to help others understand the Bible easily for free.

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Chapter 2

The beginning: a Perfect Home

The song of creation from Genesis 1-2

IN THE BEGINNING, there was nothing. Nothing to hear. Nothing to feel. Nothing to see.

Only emptiness. And darkness.

And... nothing but nothing.

But God was there. And God had a wonderful Plan.

"I'll take this emptiness," God said, "and I'll fill it up! Out of darkness, I'm going to make light! And out of the nothing, I'm going to make... EVERYTHING!"

Like a mother bird flutters her wings over her eggs to help her babies hatch, God hovered over the deep, silent darkness. He was making life happen.

God spoke. That's all. And whatever he said, it happened.

God said, "Hello light!" and light shone into the darkness. God called the light, "Day" and the darkness, "Night."

"You're good," God said. And they were.

Then God said, "Hello sea! Hello sky!" and a great space opened up, wide and deep and high. "You're good," God said. And they were.

Then God said, "Hello land!" and there - splashing up through the oceans - came cliffs, mountains, sandy beaches. "You're good," God said. And they were.

"Hello trees!" God said. "Hello grass and flowers!" And everything everywhere burst into life. He made buds bud; shoots shoot; flowers flower. "You're good," God said. And they were.

"Hello stars!" God said. "Hello sun! Hello moon!" And whizzing into the darkness came fiery globes, spinning around and around- whirling orange and purple and golden planets. "You're good," God said. And they were.

Hello birds!" God said. And with fluttering and

flapping and chirping and singing, birds filled the skies. "Hello fish!" God said. And with a darting and dashing and wriggling and splashing, fish filled the seas! "You're good" God said. And they were.

Then God said, "Hello animals!" And everyone came out to embrace their new home. The earth was filled with noisy - growling and gobbling and snapping and snorting and happy scuffling. "Your good," God said. And they were.

God saw all that he had made and he loved them. And they were lovely because he loved them.

But God saved the best for last. From the beginning, God had a shining dream in his heart. He would make people to share his Forever Happiness. They would be his children, and the world would be their perfect home.

So God breathed life into Adam and Eve. When they opened their eyes, the first thing they ever saw was God's face. And when God saw them he was like a new dad. "You look like me," he said. "You're the most beautiful thing I've ever made

God loved them with all of his heart. And they were lovely because he loved them.

And Adam and Eve joined in the song of the stars and the streams and the wind in the trees, the wonderful song of love to the one who made them. Their hears were filled with happiness. And nothing ever made them sad or lonely or sick or afraid.

God looked at everything he had made. "Perfect!" he said. And it was.

But all the stars and the mountains and oceans and galaxies and everything were nothing compared to how much God loved his children. He would move heaven and earth to be bear them. Always. Whatever happened, whatever it cost him, he would always love them.

And so it was that the wonderful love story began...

Next chapter: The Terrible Lie

Review


	3. The Terrible Lie

Author's Notes:I'm writing this down because there aren't that many good stories of God, and the ones I do find is stories twisting God into a homosexual deviant. Unbelievable, it says right in the Bible and shows God is not like, that people make things up about him. The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the story beneath all the stories in the Bible. It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And in the story Jesus is at the center of it all. Dislcaimer: I don't own "The Jesus Storybook Bible" or anything, all the credit goes to Sally Lloyd-Jones. This is to help others understand the Bible easily for free.

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The Jesus Storybook Bible

Chapter 3:The Terrible Lie

Adam and Eve lived happily together in their beautiful new home. And everything was perfect - for a while.

Until the day when everything went wrong.

God had a horrible enemy. His name wad Satan. Satan had once been the most beautiful angel, but he didn't want to be just an angel - he wanted to be God. He

grew proud and evil and full of hate, and God had to send him out of heaven. Satan was seething with anger and looking for a way to hurt God. He wanted to stop God's plan, stop this love story, right there. So he disguised himself as a snake and waited in the Garden.

Now, God had given Adam and Eve only one rule: "Don't eat the fruit on that tree," God told them. "Because if you do, you'll think you know everything. You'll stop trusting me. And then death and sadness and tears will come."

(You see, God knew if they ate the fruit, they would think they didn't need him. And they would try to make themselves happy without him. But God knew there was no such thing as happiness without him, and life without him wouldn't be life at all.)

As soon as the snake saw his chance, he slithered silently up to Eve. "Does God really love you?" the serpent whispered. "If he does, why won't he let you eat the nice, juicy, delicious fruit? Poor you, perhaps God doesn't want you to be happy."

The snake's words hissed into her ears and sunk down deep into her heart, like poison. 'Does God love me?' Eve wondered. Suddenly she didn't know anymore.

"Just trust me," the serpent whispered. "You don't need God. One small taste, that's all, and you'll be happier than you could ever dream..."

Eve picked the fruit and ate some. And Adam ate some, too.

And then a terrible lie came into the world. It would never leave. It would live on in every human heart, whispering to every one of God's children: "God doesn't love me."

And it wasn't a dream. It was a nightmare.

A dove flew from Adam's hand. A deer darted in a thicket. It was as if they were frightened by something. A chill was in the air. Something strange was happening. They had always been naked - but now they felt naked, and wrong, and they didn't want anyone to see them. So they hid.

Later that evening, as God was taking his walk, he called to them. "Children?"

Usually Adam and Eve loved to hear God's voice and would run to him. But this time, they ran away from him and hid in the shadows.

"Where are you?" God called.

"Hiding," Adam said. "We're afraid of you."

"Did you eat the fruit I told you not to eat? God asked them.

Adam said, "Eve made me do it!"

"What have you done?" God asked.

Eve said, "The serpent made me do it!"

And terrible pain came into God's heart.

His children hadn't just broken the one rule; they had broken God's heart. They had broken their wonderful relationship with him. And now he knew everything else would break. God's creation would start to unravel, and come undone, and go wrong. From now on everything would die - even though it was all supposed to last forever.

You see, sin had come into God's perfect world. And it would never leave. God's children would be always running away from him and hiding in the dark. Their hearts would break now, and never work properly again.

God couldn't let his children live forever; not in such pain, not without him. There was only one way to protect them.

"You will have to leave the garden now," God told his children, his eyes filling with tears. "This is no longer your true home, it's not the place for you anymore."

But before they left the garden, God made clothes for his children , to cover them. He gently clothed them and then he sent them away on a long, long journey - out of the garden, out of their home.

Well, in another story, it would all be over and that would haven been... **_The End_**.

But not in this story.

God loved his children too much to let the story end there. Even though he knew he would suffer, God had a plan - a magnificent dream. One day, he would get his children back. One day, he would make the world perfect again. And one day, he would wipe away every tear from their eyes.

You see, no matter what, in spite of everything, God would love his children - with a Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreakable, Always and Forever Love.

And though they would forget him, and run from him, deep in their hearts, God's children would miss him always, and long for him - lost children yearning for their home.

Before they left the garden, God whispered a promise to Adam and Eve: "It will not always be so! I will come to rescue you! And when I do, I'm going to do battle against the snake. I'll get rid of the sin and the dark and the sadness you let in here. I'm coming back for you!"

And he would. One day, God himself would come.

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Next Chapter:

A New Beginning

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Review


	4. A New Beginning

Summary:The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the story beneath all the stories in the Bible. It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And in the story Jesus is at the center of it all.

Disclaimer: I don't own "The Jesus Storybook Bible" or anything, all the credit goes to Sally Lloyd-Jones. This is to help others understand the Bible easily for free.

A/N:Just want to thank those who have been making reviews and have been reading this story, especially autumnrose2010 who helped me fix up chapter 3. Also if any readers are interested in this story I might suggest following this story since it will be updated quickly with new chapters. Now back to the story...

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Chapter 4

A New Beginning

Noah's ark, from Genesis 6 - 9

TIME PASSED and many people filled the earth. Everyone everywhere had forgotten about God and were only doing bad things all the time. God's heart was filled with pain when he saw what had happened to the world he loved. Everywhere was disease and death and destruction- all the things God hates most.

Now, Noah's was God's friend (which was odd in those days because no one else was). Noah's listened to God. He talked to God. He just loved being with God, like you do with your best friend.

"Noah," God said. "Things have gone wrong. People have filled my world with hate instead of love. They are destroying themselves ... And each other ... and my world. I must stop them. First, we'll build an ark." (Do you know how to build an ark? Neither did Noah. Luckily, God knew and he would show him.)

"A storm is coming," God said to Noah's. "But I will rescue you. I promise. I'll send the animals to you - ones that creep and crawl and slither and slime and gallop and hop and bound and climb. And don't forget to pack everyone's food."

The storm was going to wash away all the hate and sadness and everything that had gone wrong, and make the world clean again. God had thought up a way to keep Noah's safe, but Noah would have to trust God and do exactly what God told him.

So Noah built an ark (short for very large boat).

Noah's neighbors came out to watch ... And point ... And laugh, because they didn't believe Noah about the boat ... or the storm ... or needing to be rescued. And Noah must have looked rather silly. His boat was in the desert, the desert was nowhere near the sea, and there wasn't even a cloud in the sky. Why would anyone need an umbrella, let alone a boat?

But Noah's didn't mind so much what other people thought, he minded what God thought. So he just did what God told him to do.

When the ark was ready, God said, "All aboard!" and Noah's family and all the animals climbed inside.

Then God shut the door.

And it started raining - for minutes, that joined up into hours, that joined up into days, that joined up into weeks and weeks. And the rain joined up into puddles, that joined up into a flood that covered the whole world.

Their boat that had once seemed so big, suddenly seemed very small. But in middle of the huge storm, in the crashing waves, in all the thunder and lightning - through it all - God was with them. And God kept them safe for 40 long days and 40 long nights.

Finally, the rain stopped. The sun came out and Noah's threw open all the windows. "Hooray!" everyone shouted.

Noah sent his dove out to explore, and it wasn't long before she brought him back a fresh olive leaf. Everyone knew exactly what that meant: she had found a tree - and land! The water was going down.

At last, the boat landed quite suddenly on top of a great mountain.

As soon as it was safe, God said, "Out you come!" And so they did - everyone skipping and dancing onto dry land.

The first thing Noah's did was to thank God for rescuing them, just as he had promised.

And the first thing God did was make another promise. "I won't ever destroy the world again."

And like a warrior who puts away his bow and arrow at the end of a great battle, God said, "See, I have hung up my bow in the clouds."

And there, in the clouds - just where the storm meets the sun - was a beautiful bow made of light.

It was a New beginning in God's world.

It wasn't long before everything went wrong again but God wasn't surprised, he this would happen. That's why, before the beginning of time, he had another plan - better plan. A plan not to destroy the world, but to rescue it - a plan to one day send his own Son, the Rescuer.

God's strong anger against hate and sadness and death would come down once more - but not on his people, or his world. No, God's war bow was not pointing down at his people.

It was pointing up, into the heart of heaven.

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Next chapter: A Giant Staircase to Heaven

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Review


	5. A Giant Staircase to Heaven

Summary: The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the story beneath all the stories in the Bible. It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And in the story Jesus is at the center of it all.

Disclaimer: I don't own "The Jesus Storybook Bible" or anything, all the credit goes to Sally Lloyd-Jones. This is to help others understand the Bible easily for free.

A/N: Here is a new chapter to those who have been waiting, I've said I was going to write soon, when I say that it means that I will write right away like the next day or usually no more than a week, that's why I suggest following up on my story so you can be notified right away. Also I suggest if you review more, not saying that you should (though it is a nice though) but more reviews tend to draw in more readers as I have known some who just look at the large numbers of review a story gets, the same goes for me, not that I'm judging, rarely a story that is actually great doesn't have that many reviews as it should have but a higher review usually has stories that keeps me hook into the story for a good amount of weeks or more, it tells me that the story might be interesting because many readers seemed to have looked it up. But anyways again you don't have to. Now here's a new chapter…

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Chapter 5

A Giant Staircase to Heaven

The tower of Babel, from Genesis

NOAH AND HIS FAMILY lived in the land and his children had children, and those children had children, and then those children had even more - well, you get the picture - until there were lots of people on earth once more.

NOW, BACK then, everyone spoke exactly the same language so you didn't need to learn Swahili or Japanese or anything because you could say, "Hello!" to anyone and they knew what you meant.

One day, everyone was talking and they came up with an idea: "Let's build ourselves a beautiful city to live in! It can be our home. And we'll be safe forever and ever." Then they had another idea: "And ever let's build a really tall tower to reach up to heaven!"

"Yes!" they said. "We'll say, 'Look at us up here!' And everyone will look up at us. And we'll look down on them. And then we'll know we're something. We'll be like God. We'll be famous and happy and safe and everything will be all right."

So they got to work. Brick by brick, the tower grew, higher and higher, until it soared above the city, touching the sky. They built stairs in the tower to climb to the top. It was like a giant staircase to heaven.

"Look!" they cheered.

"We're the once! See what we can do with our very own hands!" They were quite pleased with themselves.

But God wasn't pleased with them. God could see what they were doing. They were trying to live without him, but God knew that wouldn't make them happy or safe or anything. If they kept object on like this, they would only destroy themselves, and God loved them too much to let that happen. So he stopped their plans.

One morning, they went to work as usual but everything was different - their words were all new and funny. You see, God had given each person a completely different language! Suddenly, both one understood what anyone else was saying. Someone would say, "God do you do?" and the other person thought they said, "How ugly are you!" It wasn't funny. You could be saying something nice like, "Such a lovely morning!" and the get a punch in the nose because they thought they thought you said, "Hush up, you're boring!" (You couldn't even say, "Pardon?" to check if you'd heard right because no one understood that word either.)

It wasn't easy to work together after that, as you can only imagine. People were always quarrelling and fighting and getting in dreadful muddle and becoming grumpier and grumpier, until at last they were all to cross to keep building, and just had to stop.

After that, people scattered all over the world (which is how we ended up with so many different languages to this day).

You see, God knew, however high they reached, however hard they tried, people could never get back to heaven by themselves. People didn't need a staircase; they needed a Rescuer.

Because nobody could get to heaven, the way back to heaven wasn't a staircase; it was a Person. People could never reach up to Heaven, so Heaven would have to come down to them.

And, one day, it would.

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Review

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Next chapter: Son of Laughter


	6. Son of Laughter

Summary: The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the story beneath all the stories in the Bible. It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And in the story Jesus is at the center of it all.

Disclaimer: I don't own "The Jesus Storybook Bible" or anything, all the credit goes to Sally Lloyd-Jones. This is to help others understand the Bible easily for free.

A/N: Well here is a new chapter for you, since I was gone a little longer I manage to type 2 chapters instead of 1, so here you go...

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**Chapter 6**

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**Son of Laughter**

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_**God's special promise to Abraham, from Genesis 12-21**_

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YEARS PASSED and things didn't get any better. People were still just as cruel and mean to one another. They still got sick and died. God's world was still full of tears. It was never meant to be like this.

But God was getting ready to do something about it. He was going to make all the wrong things right, and he was going to do it through ... A family.

"Abraham," God said. "How many stars are there?" (God was about to tell his friend a wonderful secret.)

"Let me see," Abraham said, rolling up his sleeves. (But have you ever tried counting stars? Then you know how hard it is.) "993, 994, 997. Uh-Oh. No. Wait. 1, 2..." Of course, he kept losing count. "Too many!" he said.

"Guess what!" God laughed.

"I will give you so many children and grandchildren, you won't be able to count them either."

Abraham couldn't help giggling at such a wonderful idea. But he stopped himself. How could he have a family? Don't be silly. He didn't have any children, let alone grandchildren. He wiped away a tear. Anyway it was far too late for him to start having babies at his age, he was 99 years old! What could God mean?

"Abraham," God said "Believe me."

And then God told Abraham his Secret Rescue Plan. "Abraham, I will make your family very big," God promised. "Until one day, your family will come to number more than even all the stars in the sky."

Abraham looked up at the dark night sky, thick with stars.

"You will be my special family, my special family, my people, and through you everyone on earth will be blessed!"

It was an incredible promise - God was going to rescue the world through Abraham's family! One of his great-great-great grandchildren would be the Child, the Promised One, the Rescuer.

"But it's too wonderful!" Abraham said.

"How can it be true?"

"Is anything too good to be true?" God asked. "Is anything to wonderful for me?"

So Abraham trusted what God said more than what his eyes could see. And he believed.

Now when Sarah heard God's promise, she just laughed to herself. But it wasn't a happy laugh, it had tears in it. She'd always wanted a baby, could her dream come true? Could she really have a baby when she was 90 years old? No, of course not, don't be silly, it was far too late.

Sarah didn't believe God could do what he promised. She had forgotten that when God says something, it's as good as done. (Of course, it was as easy for God to give her a baby son as it was for him to make all the stars in sky.)

Sure enough, nine months later, just as God had promised, Sarah gave birth to a baby boy. They named him Isaac, which means "son of laughter." (Back than everyone's name had a meaning). And Sarah laughed. But this time it was a glorious, happy laugh. Her dream had come true.

God would do as he promised. He would always look after Abraham's family, his special people.

And one day, God would send another baby, a baby promised to a girl who didn't have a husband. But this baby would bring laughter to the whole world. This baby would be everyone's dream come true.

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Review

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Next Chapter:

The Present


	7. The Present

Summary: The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the story beneath all the stories in the Bible. It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And in the story Jesus is at the center of it all.

Disclaimer: I don't own "The Jesus Storybook Bible" or anything, all the credit goes to Sally Lloyd-Jones. This is to help others understand the Bible easily for free.

A/N:Here's another chapter!, if you have any questions I will gladly answer them to the best of my ability.

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**Chapter 7**

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**The present**

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_**The story of Abraham and Isaac, from Genesis 22**_

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GOD KNEW that his secret Rescue Plan could only work if Abraham trusted him completely. God had to make sure Abraham would do whatever he asked. So, a few years later, God asked Abraham to give him a present.

Abraham liked giving presents to God. He gave God his animals. They were called "sacrifices" and they were a way to say "I love you" to God.

But this time God didn't want a lamb or a goat, God wanted Abraham to give him something more - much more. He wanted Abraham to give him his son, his only son, the son he loved - Isaac.

Put his boy on the altar and kill him as the sacrifice? How could God want him to do such a terrible thing? Abraham didn't understand. But he knew that God was his father who loved him. And so Abraham trusted him.

Early the next morning, Abraham and Isaac set off. They climbed the steep, stony trail up the mountain. Isaac carried the wood on his back. His father carried the knife and the coals.

"Papa," Isaac said. "We have everything except we forgot the lamb for the sacrifice."

"God will give us the lamb, son," Abraham said.

They built an alter and laid the wood on top. Abraham asked his son to climb on top of the wood. Isaac didn't understand but he knew his father loved him. And so he trusted him. He climbed up onto the alter and Abraham tied his boy to the wood. Isaac didn't struggle or try to run away, he just lay there quietly and didn't make a sound.

Everything was ready. Abraham took a knife. Tears were filling up his eyes. Pain was filling up his heart. His hand was shaking. He lifted the knife high into the air

-"STOP!" God said. "Don't hurt the boy. I want him to live not die. I know now that you love me because you would have given me your only son."

Abraham felt his heart leap with joy. He unbound Isaac and folded him in his arms. Great sobs shook the old man's whole body. Scalding tears filled his eyes. And for a long time, they stayed there like that, in each other's arms, the boy and his dad.

Suddenly, Abraham saw a ram caught in some brambles - the sacrifice. God had given them what they needed just in time. The ram would die so Isaac didn't have to. And so Abraham sacrificed the ram, instead of his son.

And as they sat there on the mountain-top, watching the embers of the fire die in the cool night air, the stars above them sparkling in the velvet sky, God helped Abraham and Isaac understand something. God wanted his people to live, not die. God wanted to rescue his people, not punish them. But they must trust him.

"One day Someone will be born into your family," God promised them. "And he will bring happiness to the whole world."

God was getting ready to give the whole world a wonderful present. It would be God's way to tell his people, "I love you."

Many years later, another Son would climb another hill, carrying wood on his back. Like Isaac, he would trust hid Father and do what his Father asked. He wouldn't struggle or run away.

Who was he? God's Son, his only Son - the son he loved.

The Lamb of God.

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Review

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Next chapter:

The Girl No One Wanted


	8. The Girl No One Wanted

Summary: The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the story beneath all the stories in the Bible. It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And in the story Jesus is at the center of it all.

Disclaimer: I don't own "The Jesus Storybook Bible" or anything, all the credit goes to Sally Lloyd-Jones. This is to help others understand the Bible easily for free.

A/N:I present another chapter once more, again if you have any questions feel freely to ask as long as it's within reason, than I'll answer to the best of my knowledge.

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Chapter 8

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The girl no one wanted

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The story of Jacob, Rachel, and Leah,

From Genesis 29-30

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There were once two sisters. The youngest sister was very beautiful and her name was Rachel. But the oldest sister wasn't as beautiful at all (some thought her quite ugly), and her name was Leah.

Rachel was the kind of girl who always gets invited to parties and chosen for a team. Everyone loved her. And poor Leah? No one hardly noticed her.

One day, their cousin Jacob came to stay. He was one of Isaac's sons and he was on the run. (Jacob had stolen and cheated and made some enemies - including his brother - now he was hiding.)

The funny thing is, Jacob - of all people - was the one God gave the special promise to: "I will rescue the world through your family." (But then God chooses people we least expect, as we'll see.)

Jacob stayed a long time working for his Uncle Laban.

One day, Laban said, "Jacob, I've decided to pay you for your work. What do you want?" A sudden thought struck him. "How about one of your daughters?"

Jacob looked at Rachel and he looked at Leah. Who would he choose? Of course, he chose Rachel.

"I'll work seven years for free!" Jacob said. "If I can marry Rachel."

So Jacob worked seven years and, at last, his wedding day arrived.

But that night, Laban played a nasty trick in Jacob… Instead of sending Rachel to marry Jacob, he sent Leah. (Now in those days they didn't have electricity, so it was dark in their tent and, besides, women wore veils and you couldn't see their faces properly. So Jacob suspected nothing.)

The next morning, Jacob woke up - and screamed. His new wife was lying beside him but it wasn't Rachel - it was Leah. Jacob jumped out of bed. "Laban!' he cried "You scoundrel!"

But Laban said "Work for me another seven years and then you can marry Rachel"

So Jacob worked for Laban for another seven years and, at last, Rachel became his wife. Now Jacob had two wives, but of his two wives, Jacob loved Rachel the best.

"No one loves me," Leah said. "I'm too ugly."

But God didn't think she was ugly. And when he saw that Leah was not loved and that no one wanted her, God chose her - to love her specially, to give her a very important job. One day, God was going to rescue the world - through Leah's family.

Now when Leah knew that God loved her, in her heart, suddenly it didn't matter anymore whether her husband loved her best, or if she was the prettiest. Someone had chosen her, someone did love her - with a Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love.

So when had a baby boy she called him Judah, which means, "This time I will praise the Lord!" And that's what she did.

And you'll never guess what job God gave Leah. You see, when God looked at Leah, he saw a princess. And sure enough, that's exactly what she became. One of Leah's children's children would be a prince - the Prince of Heaven - God's Son.

This Prince would love God's people. They wouldn't need to be beautiful for him to love them. He would love them with all his heart. And they would be beautiful because he loved them.

Like Leah.

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Next chapter:

The Forgiving Prince

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Review


	9. The Forgiving Prince

**A/N: **I would like to apologize to all my readers who been waiting for an update on a new chapter, but I don't spend all my time writing, in fact it is harder than many may think may believe, especially since this is my first fanfic and have to worry about high school still. I thank all my viewers though for so far reading and don't worry I'm not finishing this story until it's done. I also like to thank all of you who have been reading and following this story, as well as Catori Simone Winston, autumnrose2010, PurpleDucks5 and Jyoti who been reviewing and telling their thoughts of how they think the story is coming along now. Alright, no more further delays here's a brand new chapter...

**Disclaimer: **I don't own "The Jesus Storybook Bible" or anything, all the credit goes to Sally Lloyd-Jones. This is to help others understand the Bible easily for free.

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**Chapter 9**

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**The Forgiving Prince**

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_**Joseph and his brothers, from Genesis 37 - 46**_

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**_JACOB HAD TWELVE SONS_** but of all his sons, Joseph was his favorite.

One day, Jacob gave Joseph a splendid new robe. It was beautiful and rich with all the colors of the rainbow, but it made Joseph's brothers jealous - they wanted rich rainbow robes, too.

God himself also loved Joseph, he even gave special dreams to him that actually became real. This news just only made Joseph's brothers even more jealous and made them even hate him a bit.

Then to make matters worse, Joseph kept on having these special dreams: "I dreamed I was the greatest! I was King!" Joseph told his brothers. "And you all bowed down to me!"

Now I'm sure you know, even if Joseph didn't, that telling your brothers things like that isn't a very good idea. Joseph's brothers hated him even more. They wanted to kill Joseph and his dreams

And one day that'd exactly what they tried to do.

"Joseph, go check on your brothers and my sheep" said Jacob.

So Joseph took a long journey.

They tore Joseph's rainbow robe off him and sold him to slave traders - for 20 pieces of silver.

The traders took Joseph to Egypt and made him into a slave. The brothers went home and lied to their father, telling him that Joseph was dead.

'That's the end of that dreamer!' they thought. But they were wrong. God had a magnificent dream for Joseph's life and even when it looked like everything had gone wrong, God would use it all to help make the dream come true. God would use everything that was happening to Joseph to do something good.

Meanwhile though, things were not looking good for Joseph in Egypt. He was far from home and from his dad. Then he got blamed for something he didn't do, and, even though he had done nothing wrong, he was punished and thrown in jail. But God was with Joseph.

One night, Pharaoh (king of Egypt) had a scary dream about seven thin cows gobbling up seven fat cows but the cows still remained thin. And afterwards he dreamed of seven fresh crops of grain and then 7 destroyed crops of grain. What on earth did it mean? He didn't know and no one could interpret his dream. But Joseph was a dream expert whom the forgetful baker finally remembered how Joseph interpreted his own dream which became true and told Pharaoh who immediately afterwards sent for him.

"They say you are able of interpreting others dreams"

"Apologies Pharaoh but the interpretation comes from God" Joseph stated.

"God? My wise men and great wizards could not interpret my dream, what makes your God any different?" said Pharaoh.

"Tell me about this dream"

After hearing what Pharaoh dreamed of, Joseph responded to everyone "Pharaoh's dreams are one and the same, they are a warning to Pharaoh from God, it means a famine is coming," Joseph explained. "There won't be enough food, Egypt might not survive"

"Can this be stopped, what can be done?" said Pharaoh

"You must find someone you can trust, during the years of plenty, have him collect one-fifth of the plain from every field and store it under guard, than during the years of famine give it back to the people"

Pharaoh was so pleased by Joseph's skill that he immediately took Joseph out of jail and made him prince.  
Now back home, Joseph's brothers had run out of food and everyone was hungry. God's special family was in danger - if they didn't get food soon they would starve to death. So Joseph's brothers traveled to Egypt to buy food.

The only food in the land was in Egypt, and Joseph was in charge!

They came and knelt before the prince. His brothers didn't know that the prince was Joseph. But Joseph knew who they were. Joseph's dream, the one that his brothers did not like to hear from him, where they would bow down to him, was coming true!

"It's me!" Joseph cried.

When they saw it was Joseph, his brothers were afraid. They had broken their father's heart. They had wronged Joseph. They had sinned and they knew it. Now Joseph would certainly punish them.  
But Joseph looked at his brothers and his eyes filled with tears. Even though his brothers had hurt him and hated him and wanted him dead - in spite of everything - he couldn't stop loving them.

His heart, which they had broken, filled up with love, and Joseph three his arms around them. "Don't be afraid," he said. "Behind what you were doing, underneath everything that was happening, God was doing something good. God was making everything right again."  
Joseph didn't punish them, he rescued them - he brought God's special family to live safely with him in Egypt.  
One day, God would send another Prince, a young Prince whose heart would break. Like Joseph, he would leave his home and his Father. His brothers would hate him and want him dead. He would be sold for pieces of silver. He would be punished even though he had done nothing wrong.  
But God would use everything that happened to this young Prince - even the bad things - to do something good:  
To forgive the sins of the whole world.

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Review

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Next chapter:

**_God to the rescue!_**

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**_(Moses and the Great Escape from Egypt, from Exodus 3-13_**)


	10. God to the Rescue!

Author's Notes:Sorry for being out for so long and not updating recently for those who have been following along the story but I don't spend all my time writing, it's just a hobby that sometimes I enjoy, but the real reason as I mentioned in my early chapters is that I still have to go to Pentecostal Church which I try not miss and high school and so I haven't had all that much time for myself with summer close by since this time the school work is the hardest, but now luckily school is over as I move up to the 11th grade so you can expect to be getting more chapters of the 'Jesus Storybook Bible' from me this summer, I will probably be finished with story by than, well anyways I just though I should let you know, and without further wait, here's a new chapter...

Summary:The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the story beneath all the stories in the Bible. It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And in the story Jesus is at the center of it all.

Disclaimer: I don't own "The Jesus Storybook Bible" or anything, all the credit goes to Sally Lloyd-Jones. This is to help others understand the Bible easily for free.

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**Chapter 10**

**God to the rescue!**

**_Moses and the Great Escape from Egypt, from Exodus 3-13_**

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JOSEPH AND HIS BROTHERS grew old and died, but their children stayed on in Egypt where they became a very LARGE family.  
Later on, a new king began to rule, but this pharoah didn't remember Joseph and didn't like God's people. He made them into his slaves and beat them and made them work harder.

God's people cried out to God to rescue them.

And God heard them. He remembered his promise to Abraham. He would look after his people. He would find a way to set them free.  
One day, Moses was looking after sheep when something caught his eye: a bush was behaving very oddly - it was flickering with flames, but its leaves weren't burning up. He took a closer look.

"Moses!" boomed a big voice.

Moses leapt back. The bush was talking to him!

"I have heard my people's cries," God said. "I have seen their tears. So I have come down to rescue them. Go to Pharoah and tell him to let my people go free."  
Moses was afraid. But God said, "I will be with you."  
So Moses went to Pharaoh.

"Pharoah," Moses began, "God says-"

"God?" said Pharaoh. "Never heard of him."

Moses kept going. "God says, let his people go free."

"Why should I?" Pharaoh said. "Don't want to. WON'T!" So he didn't.

So God gave Pharaoh ten warnings, called "Plagues."  
First, God turned the River Nile into blood. No one could drink the water. But still Pharaoh would not let them go.  
So God made frogs come hopping and leaping and jumping. In your bed frogs , in your hair frogs, in your soup frogs, all over everywhere!  
"Make them go away!" Pharaoh screamed. "Then your people can go."  
So God took the frogs away.

But Pharaoh changed his mind. "You can't go!" he said.  
Then God sent zillions of gnats. But still Pharaoh said , "NO!" So God sent swarms of flies - flies buzzing in your eyes.  
And after that, sickness; and horrible boils; and huge hailstones; and a storm of locust; then darkness when it should have been day- until it seemed like the whole world, creation and everything, was coming undone, falling back to darkness. And emptiness. And nothingness.  
But each time Pharaoh said,"Make it stop and then I'll let them go!" And each time when God made it stop, Pharaoh said, "Make it stop and then I'll let them go!" And each time when God made it stop, Pharoah changed his mind and said, "Actually NO! You can't go!"  
Finally, Moses warned Pharoah, "Obey God or he will have to send the worst thing of all." Pharoah just laughed.

So God said, "the oldest boy in each family of Egypt must die. But my people will be safe."  
God told his people to take their best lamb, to kill it and to put some of its blood on their front doors. "When God passes over your house," Moses explained, "God will see the blood and know that the lamb died instead of you."  
That night, it was just as God had said. Suddenly, piercing the darkness, echoing down the corridors of the palace, came a blood-curling scream. Pharaoh's oldest son had died! At last, Pharaoh's did what God said.  
"GET OUT!" Pharoah shouted. "JUST GO!TAKE YOUR PEOPLE AND YOUR GOD AWAY!"  
And so, that very night, Moses and God's people fled out of Egypt and out of slavery. They were free at last!  
God's people would always remember this great rescue and call it "Passover". But an even Greater Rescue was coming.  
Many years later, God was going to do it again. He was going to come down once more to rescue his people. But this time God was going to set them free forever and ever.

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Review

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Preview: Chapter 11

**God Makes a Way**

**_Moses and the Red Sea, from Exodus 14-15_**


	11. God Makes a Way

_**Author's Notes:**_ As promised here's a new chapter...

**_Summary:_**The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the story beneath all the stories in the Bible. It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And in the story Jesus is at the center of it all.

**_Disclaimer:_** I don't own "The Jesus Storybook Bible" or anything, all the credit goes to Sally Lloyd-Jones. This is to help others understand the Bible easily for free.

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_**Chapter 11**_

_**God Makes a Way**_

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_**Moses and the Red Sea, from Exodus 14-15**_

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MOSES AND GOD'S people escaped out of Egypt and into the wilderness. They didn't know the way-but God knew the way and he would show them.

"I will bring you to a new home, a special land," God promised them. "I will look after you. I am with you."

God sent a big cloud for them to follow - a pillar of smoke stretching up to the sky. It moved in front of them as they walked and shaded them from the blazing heat of the day. And when it was time to rest, it stopped. All through the cold desert nights it kept them warm, glowing like fire.

God led his people through the desert to the edge of the great sea. They were just wondering how to cross it when, suddenly, they heard a terrible thundering and pounding. It sounded almost like horses' hooves. They shaded their eyes to look back-and screamed! It was! Pharaoh and his army were coming to get them!

Pharaoh had changed his mind again. "Get my slaves BACK!" he screeched and charged out into the desert after them - with 600 of his fastest horsemen - and every single chariot in Egypt.

What were God's people going to do? In front of them was a big sea. It was so big there was no way around it. But there was no way through it - it was too deep. They didn't have any boats so they couldn't sail across. And they couldn't swim across because it was too far and they would drown. And they couldn't turn back because Pharaoh was chasing them. they could see the flashing swords now, glinting in the baking sun, and the dust clouds, and chariot after scary chariot surging towards them. So they did the only thing there were left to do - PANIC!

"We're going to die!" they shrieked.

"Don't be afraid!" Moses said.

"But there's nothing we can do!" they screamed.

"God knows you can't do anything!" Moses said. "God will do it for you. Trust him. And watch!"

"But there's no way out!" they cried.

"God will make a way!" Moses said.

Another minute and it would have been over. But then the strangest thing happened.

God made the pillar of smoke move. It moved behind his people and hid them from the Egyptians. then God sent a strong east wind to blow all night long. It blew the water on the big sea. It blew it to the left and it blew it to the right, until it blew it into two towering walls of water, and there - right through the middle of the sea - a muddy pathway opened up and God's people walked across on the dry land!

When the Egyptians tried to follow, the walls of water crashed back down on them and swallowed them up. God's people were safe. They danced and laughed and sang and thanked God - when there had been no way out, God had made a way.  
Many years later, once again, God was going to make a way where there was no way.

From the beginning, God's children had been running from him and hiding. God knew his children could never be happy without him. But they couldn't get back to him by themselves - they were lost, they din't know the way back.

But God knew the way.

And one day he would show them.

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Review

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Next:  
**_Chapter 12_**

**Ten Ways to be perfect**

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_**Moses and the Ten Commandments, from Exodus 16-17, 19 - 40**_


	12. Ten ways to be perfect

_**Author's Notes:**_ here's a new chapter...

**_Summary:_**The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the story beneath all the stories in the Bible. It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And in the story Jesus is at the center of it all.

**_Disclaimer:_** I don't own "The Jesus Storybook Bible" or anything, all the credit goes to Sally Lloyd-Jones. This is to help others understand the Bible easily for free.

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**Chapter 12**

**Ten ways to be perfect**

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**Moses and the Ten Commandments, from Exodus 16-17, 19-40**

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SO THERE THEY all were. Grannies, granddads, babies, uncles, aunts, children, moms, and dads. Out there in the middle of the desert. They had blisters from all the walking. They were hungry. And thirsty. And much, much too hot.

'We don't like it!" they said. 'It stinks!" (And so did they, for that matter, because no had taken a bath in weeks.)

Now remember- because this is something they'd forgotten-God had done amazing things for his people. He'd hidden them inside a cloud. He'd moved the sea. He'd set them free.

But God's people still weren't happy. They didn't care about being free- wasn't it better when they were slaves? At least they'd had lots of nice food to eat.

"God doesn't want us to be happy," they said.. It was the same lie that Adam and Eve had heard all those years before. "God has brought us out here to kill us. God doesn't love us!" But they didn't know God very well, did they?

Every day of their journey, God kept on showing his people how well he would look after them, if they would trust him, and obey him. When they were hungry, God made the sky rain with food - bread coming down from heaven! "What is it?" they asked each other. They didn't know, so they called it, "What is it?" (which, of course, is a very good name for something when you don't know what it is).

When they were thirsty and started quarreling, God made water flow from a rock. Moses called that place quarreling" (because that seemed like a good name, too).

And still God's children didn't trust him or do whaat he said. They thought they could do a better job of looking after themselves and making themselves happy. But God knew there was no such thing as happiness without him.

So God led them to a tall mountain. God wanted to talk to his people and show them what he was like. He wanted to help them know him better and tell them about the special land he was going to give them.  
"The whole earth belongs to me!" God said. "But I have chosen you-you are my special family. I want you to live in a way that shows everyone else what I'm like- so they can know me, too."

God called Moses up the mountain. The great mountain shook. A thick cloud fell. Thunder roared. Lightning crackled. And God gave Moses Ten Rules, called "Commandments."  
"I want you to love me more than anything else in all the world-and know that I love you, too," God told them. "That's the most important thing of all."

God gave them other rules, like don't make yourselves pretend gods(or idols, such as materialistic things); don't kill people; or lie. The rules showed God's people how to live, and how to be close to him, and how to be happy. They showed how life worked best.

"God promises to always look after you," Moses said. "Will you love him and keep these rules?"

"We can do it! Yes! We promise!"

But they were wrong. They couldn't do it. No how hard they tried, they could never keep God's rules all the time.

God knew they couldn't. And he wanted them to know it, too.

Only one Person could keep all the rules. And many years later God would send him - to stand in their place and be perfect for them.

Because the rules couldn't save them.

Only God could save them.

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Review

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**Next:**

**_Chapter 13_**

**_The warrior leader_**

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**_Joshua and the battle of Jericho, from Joshua 3 and 6_**


	13. The warrior leader

**_Author's Notes:_** Hello readers so far we reached chapter 13 of 'The Jesus Storybook Bible'which has 1,412 views of readers, just thought to let you know, no further delays, here's a new chapter...

_**Summary:**_The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the story beneath all the stories in the Bible. It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And in the story Jesus is at the center of it all.

**_Disclaimer:_** I don't own "The Jesus Storybook Bible" or anything, all the credit goes to Sally Lloyd-Jones. This is to help others understand the Bible easily for free.

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_**Chapter 13:**_

_**The warrior leader**_

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_**Joshua and the battle of Jericho, from Joshua 3 and 6**_

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AFTER MOSES DIED, God gave his people a new leader. His name was Joshua, which means 'The Lord saves." Joshua was going to lead God's people into the special land God had promised to give them.

By the time, God's people had been wandering around in that baking desert for 40 years! So you can imagine how sick they were of the sand and anything yellow and tents and walking and being hot. And how happy they were to reach the edge of the desert and to see their beautiful new home - right there in front of them - all cool and green and lovely. There was only one problem.

Jericho.

Jericho was a city - but it wasn't just any old city. It was a fortress and it stopped anyone from getting into the land.

The people looked at Jericho. At the big, giant, scary walls all around it. At the tall towering ramparts. At the heavy iron gates bolted shut. At each other.

What would they do? No one knew. But God knew. And God told Joshua what to do. But Joshua must have looked surprised because it was a very odd battle plan indeed, as we'll soon find out.

Then God made his people promise. "I will always be with you. And I will never, ever leave you. If you do what I say, your lives in the new land will be happy and everything will go well."

So Joshua gathered his army together. They had their swords and spears and shields. They were ready to fight. But the plan wasn't about fighting; it was about trusting and doing what God said.

Joshua's army went marching, marching, marching around the city. Day after day.

"They're too scared to fight!" the people of Jericho said.

But they were wrong. God's people weren't scared - they were waiting. Waiting for God to tell them what to do next.

On the seventh day, God told his people to march around the city not once, but seven times. Then God told everyone to make as much noise as they could. (Has anyone ever told you to make as much noise as you possibly can? Well, imagine the noise, add 39,999 other people making that noise, too - and you get the idea. Ear-splitting!)

And, as it turned out, stone-splitting, too - because the huge, strong walls of Jericho just crumbled to the ground, as if they were made of sand. Jericho vanished in a great cloud of dust.

So it was that God's people entered their new home. And They didn't have to fight to get in - they only had to walk.

Joshua said, "God has brought you safely here. Now will you do what he says?"

Everyone said, "We promise!"

"Only God can make your heart happy," Joshua said. "So don't pray to pretend gods."

"No," they said. "Never!"

I'm afraid they didn't keep their promise. They didn't do what God said and many years later, just as God warned them, things would go badly fo God's people. They would lose their home. Enemies would capture them and take them off as slaves. And God's people would scatter into many different lands.

But God's Plan was still working.

One day he would give his people another Leader. And another home.

But this home, no one could ever take from them.

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**Review**

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_**Next:**_

_**Chapter 14:**_

_**THE TEENY, weenie... true king**_

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_**Samuel anoints David, from 1 Samuel 16**_


	14. THE TEENY, weenie true king

**Author's Notes:** here's a new chapter...

**Summary:** The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the story beneath all the stories in the Bible. It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And in the story Jesus is at the center of it all.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own "The Jesus Storybook Bible" or anything, all the credit goes to Sally Lloyd-Jones. This is to help others understand the Bible easily for free.

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**Chapter 14**

**THE TEENY, weenie ... true king**

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**Samuel anoints David, from 1 Samuel 16**

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**GOD'S PEOPLE** had a new land. Now they wanted a king. "But God is your King," Samuel told them"He is the one who looks after you best."

"We want a real king!" they said. "One we can see!" God knew that king might not be kind to his people or look after them as well as he would. But God's people didn't care; they wanted a king and they wanted him now!

So God gave them a king. He was called Saul and he seemed like a good king - at first. But he became proud and stopped listening to God. He didn't obey God. Or love God with his whole heart.

"Saul can't help me with my plan," God said.

"I need a king who loves me and will teach my people to love me. I need a true king." God had just the one in mind.

"Go to Bethlehem," God told Samuel. "You'll find the new king." (Samuel's job was to listen to God and tell people what God said.)

So Samuel went to the little town of Bethlehem. God told Samuel to go to Jesse's house. God was going to Jesse's house. God was going to choose one of Jesse's sons to be the new king.

Jesse had seven strong sons.

Now in those days if you were going to be the king, you didn't have to be the richest or the cleverest (although that was always nice). You had to look like a king, which meant you had to be the tallest and the strongest. (So you could carry the longest swords and biggest armor and defeat everyone.) And it didn't hurt to be handsome, either.

Samuel asked Jesse to bring him each son in turn.

So Jesse brought the oldest, tallest, strongest son. 'This must be the new king', Samuel thought.

But God didn't choose him. "You're thinking about what he looks like on the outside," God told Samuel. "But I am looking at his heart, what he's like on the inside."

So Jesse showed Samuel his next oldest, tallest, strongest son. But God didn't chose him either. In fact, God didn't choose any of the seven sons.

Samuel said, "Is that all?"

Jesse laughed. "Oh, well, there's the youngest one, but he's just the weakling of the family, he's only teeny -"

"Bring him," said Samuel.

Jesse's youngest son came running up, and God spoke quietly to Samuel, "This is the one!"

His name was David.

"He has a heart like mine," God said.

"It is full of love. He will help me with my Secret Rescue Plan. And one of his children's, children's children will be the King. And that King will rule the world forever."

Samuel anointed David's head with oil - which was a special way to show that you are God's special king. "You will be the new king one day," Samuel told him.

And, sure enough, when he grew up, David became king.

God chose David to be king because God was getting his people ready for an even greater King who was coming.

Once again, God would say, "Go to Bethlehem. You'll find the new King there." And there, one starry night in Bethlehem, in the town of David, three Wise Men would find him.

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Review

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**Next:**

**Chapter 15:**

**The young hero and the horrible giant**

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**_David and Goliath, from 1 Samuel 17_**


	15. The young hero and the horrible giant

**Author's Notes:** here's a new chapter...

**Summary:** The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the story beneath all the stories in the Bible. It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And in the story Jesus is at the center of it all.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own "The Jesus Storybook Bible" or anything, all the credit goes to Sally Lloyd-Jones. This is to help others understand the Bible easily for free.

* * *

**Chapter 15:**

** The young hero and the horrible giant**

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** David and Goliath, from 1 Samuel 17**

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GOD'S PEOPLE HAD SOME scary enemies, but the Philistines were the scariest of them all. And now the Philistines had come to fight them.

The Philistines had a secret weapon, called "Goliath." Goliath was a terrifying soldier, and – worst of all – a GIANT! A giant so strong, and so tall, and so scary that no one had ever been able to fight him – and live to tell the tale.

So, there they were: the Philistines standing on the top of one hill; God's people standing on top of each other. Every day, Goliath came out and shouted, "Send your best soldier to fight me! If he wins, we will be your slaves. But if I win, you will be our slaves!" No one spoke. No one moved. "Cowards!" Goliath bellowed. "Your God can't save you! I'll rip your heads off and have you on toast!" His beady, greedy eyes glowered at them hungrily from under his horrible helmet – as if any minute he really might just gobble them all up. And he laughed his terrible laugh. "Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha" it boomed, echoing horribly around and around the dry, dry valley.

Well, Goliath might just as well have been a green, slimy monster with three heads because God's people froze with fear. Their eyes glazed over, and they turned deathly pale. They knew if someone didn't do something quick, if someone didn't save them –

But God would do something. He would send someone to save them.

Now David was the youngest son of Jesse, and his brothers were in the army. One day, ordered by his Jesse David brought his brothers their lunches, he saw Goliath – and he saw how scared everyone was.

"Don't be afraid!" David said. "I'll fight him for you!"

"You're only a little shepherd boy," the king said, "and Goliath is a great soldier. How will you fight him?"

"God will help me!" David said.

So the king gave David his royal armor to wear, but it was too heavy and too big and David couldn't even walk. "I won't need this," David said.

Instead, David picked out five smooth stones from the stream – one, two, three, four, five – took his sling-shot and walked towards Goliath. Step. Step. Step.

Goliath walked towards David. THUD. THUD. THUD. "You?" Goliath peered down at the small boy.

"I may be little!" David shouted up to him. "But God is greater!"

Goliath laughed an even terrible laugh than usual. "HAAAA-HA-HA-HAAAA!" it went.

With just one swing of his giant sword, Goliath could finish the boy off.

But David kept going, "It isn't how strong you are or how many swords and spears you have that will save you – it is God who saves you! This is God's battle. And God always wins his battles!"

David put a stone in his sling, swung it around – and let it go. The little stone flew WHIZZ like a bullet through the air and struck Goliath THUD right between the eyes. Goliath stopped laughing …

He stumbled…and staggered…and CRASH! Fell dead.

When the Philistines saw Goliath was dead, they ran away. And when God's people saw them running away, they cheered. God had saved his people. David was a hero. He had finally proven himself worthy of being king.

Many years later, God would send his people another young Hero to fight for them. And to save them.

But this Hero would fight the greatest battle the world has ever known…

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Next:

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Chapter 15:

The Good Shepherd

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David the Shepherd King, from Psalm 51, 2 Samuel 7; (Paraphrase of Psalm 23)


	16. The Good Shepherd

**Author's Notes:** here's a new chapter...

**Summary:** The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the story beneath all the stories in the Bible. It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And in the story Jesus is at the center of it all.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own "The Jesus Storybook Bible" or anything, all the credit goes to Sally Lloyd-Jones. This is to help others understand the Bible easily for free.

* * *

**Chapter 14:**

**The young hero and the horrible giant**

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**David the Shepherd King, from Psalm 51, 2 Samuel 7;(Paraphrase of Psalm 23)**

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DAVID WAS A SHEPHERD, but God looked at him and he saw a king.

Sure enough, when David grew up, that's just what he became. And David was a great king. He had a heart like God's heart – full of love.

Now, that didn't mean he was perfect, because he did some terrible things – he even murdered a man. No, David made a big mess of his life. But God can take even the biggest mess and make it work in his plan.

"I need a new heart, Lord," David prayed, "because mine is full of sin. Make me clean inside."

God heard David's prayer. He forgave David made David a promise: "I will make you great, David. And one day, a King will be born in your family, and he will heal the whole world."

Did you know that David was a song—writer, too? In fact his songs were so good, they might have been in the top 40 charts (if they'd been invented then).

David's songs are like prayers. They are called psalms and this one is called "The song of the Shepherd." (It's probably number one on the Psalm Charts.) And it goes like this…

God is my Shepherd

And I am his little lamb.

He feeds me

He guides me

He looks after me.

I have everything I need.

Inside, my heart is very quiet.

As quiet as lying still in soft green grass

In a meadow

By a little stream.

Even when I walk through

The dark, scary, lonely places

I won't be afraid

Because my shepherd knows where I am.

He is here with me.

He keeps me safe

He rescues me

He makes me strong

And brave.

He is getting wonderful

Things ready for me

Especially for me

Everything I ever dreamed of!

He fills my heart so full of happiness

I can't hold it all inside.

Wherever I go I know

God's Never Stopping

Never Giving Up

Unbreaking

Always and Forever Love

Will go, too!

God gave David that song to sing to his people, so they could know that he loved them and would always look after them – like a shepherd loves his sheep.

And one day, God was going to show his people once and for all just how much he loved them.

Another Shepherd was coming – a greater shepherd. He would be called the Good Shepherd. And this Shepherd was going to lead all of God's lambs back to the place where they had always belonged – close to God's heart.

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** Review**

* * *

** Next:**

**Chapter 15:**

**A little servant girl and the proud general**

* * *

** The little slave girl and Naaman, from 2 Kings 5**

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P.S. A friend of mine didn't know what praying to God was, he thought it was talking to God which is correct, but it is also begging to God and asking him to help with certain aspects or to help you change your life and yourself for the better, as said in this chapter no one is perfect, even me. We all had our shares of ups and downs, but what is important is that we at least try to make a difference. Also do not think that if you pray to God for something then it will immediately happen, it could happen but in other cases it takes longer to occur, but if it's something you really want God to do then stick to it and keep hoping and believing that God will do what you asked of him because you don't then you will give up about it, so instead you have to believe in your **heart** that he heard you and **promised** to do so.

P.P.S: I also like to hear (or read) your reviews, you don't have to but again I just like hearing what you have to say, peace out.


	17. the servant girl and the proud general

**Author's Notes:** here's a new chapter...

**Summary:** The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the story beneath all the stories in the Bible. It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And in the story Jesus is at the center of it all.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own "The Jesus Storybook Bible" or anything, all the credit goes to Sally Lloyd-Jones. This is to help others understand the Bible easily for free.

* * *

**Chapter 17:**

**The little servant girl and the proud general**

* * *

**The little slave girl and Naaman, from 2 Kings 5**

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**NAAMAN WAS** a very important man in a very important army of a very important country. So you see, he was very, very, very important.

But Naaman was sick. He had leprosy, which is a nasty thing that stops you from feeling anything. Bits of you fall off without you noticing, like bashed fingers and squished toes. It might sound funny but it wasn't – and Naaman certainly wasn't laughing. There was no cure, it never went away, and in the end it killed you. Naaman needed help.

Now there was a little slave girl who worked for Naaman and she knew someone who could help him.

But there was a problem; Naaman was her enemy.

Not long before, Naaman had led an army raid on her home in Israel. He had killed her whole family, carried her off to Syria, and made her into his slave. Every night she cried herself to sleep – she had lost everything.

Why would she, of all people, want to help Naaman? Didn't she hate him and want to hurt him back? Didn't she want to make him pay for the wrong he'd done?

That's what you would expect, but instead of hating him, she loved him. Instead of hurting him back, she forgave him.

"I want Naaman to get well," she said to her mistress. "There's a man in Israel called Elisha who can heal him."

"I'll go," said Naaman, loading up his wagons and putting on his flashing armor. "But I'll go to the palace because that's where someone important like me gets healed!"

So he hurried off to Israel and went straight to the king. "My healing, please!" he announced.

"I can do lots of things!" the king replied. "But only God can heal."

Just then a message from Elisha arrived. "Send Naaman here," it read.

So Naaman hurried off to Elisha's house. But Elisha didn't even come out and greet him, he just sent a servant instead. '_Doesn't Elisha realize who I am?' _Naaman thought.

But what the servant said next made him even crosser. "Wash in there!" he said.

"Just wash?" Naaman laughed. "In that slimy, stinky river?" he looked around to see if this was some kind of joke. It wasn't. '_Any person can wash in a river!' _he thought. '_I am Naaman. I am important. I should do something important so God will heal me!'_ And he rode off in a rage. (Of course, you and I both know, that's not how God does things. All Naaman needed was nothing. It was the one thing Naaman didn't have.)

God knew that Naaman was even sicker on the inside than he was on the outside. Naaman was proud. He thought he didn't need God. His heart didn't work properly – it couldn't feel anything. You see, Naaman had leprosy of his heart. God was not only going to heal Naaman's skin, he was going to heal his pride.

Naaman finally agreed to wash in the river, and instantly, his skin became smooth like a baby.

Naaman wanted to pay Elisha.

"God healed you. You can't pay," Elisha said. "It's free."

And so it was that a very sick man was healed – all because of a little servant girl who forgave him.

God knew sin was like leprosy. It stopped his children's heart s from working properly and in the end it would kill them. Years later, God was going to send another Servant, to forgive as the little servant girl did – to forgive all of God's children and heal the terrible sickness in their hearts.

Their hearts were broken.

But God can mend broken hearts.

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**Review**

* * *

** Next:**

** Chapter 18:**

**Operation "No More Tears!"**

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**_The Rescuer will come: prophecies from Isaiah 9, 11, 40, 50, 53, 55, 60_**


	18. Operation No More Tears!

**Author's Notes:** here's a new chapter...

**Summary:** The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the story beneath all the stories in the Bible. It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And in the story Jesus is at the center of it all.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own "The Jesus Storybook Bible" or anything, all the credit goes to Sally Lloyd-Jones. This is to help others understand the Bible easily for free.

* * *

**Chapter 18:**

**Operation "No More Tears!"**

* * *

**The Rescuer will come: prophecies from Isaiah 9, 11, 40, 50, 53, 55, 60**

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**DO YOU KNOW** what your name means? Well, there was once a man called Isaiah, and his name meant "God to the rescue!"

That might sound like a bit of a funny name to you, but it was just the right name for Isaiah because God had a special job for Isaiah. You see, Isaiah's job was to listen to God and then tell people what he heard.

Now, God let Isaiah know a secret. God was going to mend his broken world. He showed Isaiah his Secret Rescue Plan: Operation "No More Tears!"

This is the message God gave Isaiah (It was like a letter God wrote to his children)…

* * *

_Dear Little Flock,_

_You're all wandering away from me, like sheep in an open field. You have always been running away from me. And now you're lost. You can't find your way back._

_But I can't stop loving you. I will come to find you. So I am sending you a shepherd to look after you and love you. To carry you home to me._

_You've been stumbling around, like people in a dark room. But into the darkness, a bright Light will shine! It will chase away all the shadows, like sunshine._

_A little baby will be born. A Royal Son. His mommy will be a young girl who doesn't have a husband. His name will be Emmanuel, which means "God has come to live with us." He is one of King David's children's children's children. The Prince of Peace._

_Yes, someone is going to come and rescue you!_

_But he won't be who anyone expects._

_He will be a King! But he won't live in a palace. And he won't have lots of money. He will be poor. And he will be a Servant. But this King will heal the whole world._

_He will be a hero! He will fight for his people, and rescue them from their enemies. But he won't have big armies, and he won't fight with swords._

_He will make the blind see, he will make the lame leap like deer! He will make everything the way it was always meant to be._

_But people will hate him, and they won't listen to him. He will be like a Lamb – he will suffer and die._

_It's the Secret Rescue Plan we made – from before the beginning of the world!_

_ It's the only way to get you back. But he won't stay dead - I will make him alive again!_

_And, one day, when he comes back to rule forever, the mountains and trees will dance and sing for joy! The earth will shout out loud! His fame will fill the whole earth – as the waters cover the sea! Everything sad will come untrue. Even death is going to die! And he will wipe away every tear from every eye._

_Yes, the Rescuer will come. Look for him. Watch for him. Wait for him. He will come!_

_I promise._

_Love, God_

* * *

Poor Isaiah. He read God's letter over and over to God's people, but no one listened to him – at all. Ever. They didn't want to hear God's promise. They didn't believe it.

Did it sound maybe too good to be true? A story that ends happily ever after? Well, it does sound like a fairy tale, doesn't it? And, as anyone will quickly tell you, fairy tales aren't true.

Or are they?

* * *

**Review**

* * *

**Next:**

**Chapter 19:**

**Daniel and the scary sleepover**

* * *

**Daniel and the lion's den, from Daniel 6**


	19. Daniel and the scary sleepover

**Author's Notes:** here's a new chapter...

* * *

**Summary:** The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the story beneath all the stories in the Bible. It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And in the story Jesus is at the center of it all.

* * *

**Disclaimer:** I don't own "The Jesus Storybook Bible" or anything, all the credit goes to Sally Lloyd-Jones. This is to help others understand the Bible easily for free.

* * *

**Chapter 19**

**Daniel and the scary sleepover**

* * *

_**Daniel and the lions' den, from Daniel 6**_

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**THINGS WERE NOT** looking good for God's people. As God said if they stopped listening to what he had to say bad things would occur. They had been captured and taken far from home – and now they were slaves again to the King of Babylon. But God had not left his people. He was with them and he was looking after them.

Daniel loved God and obeyed him. Now God made Daniel able to understand lots of difficult things, so it wasn't long before the king of Babylon noticed him. King Darius liked how clever Daniel was. So he made Daniel his most important helper of all, and put him in charge of lots of other helpers.

But the other helpers didn't like this. They wanted the king to like them best. They wanted to get rid of Daniel.

So they spied on Daniel. They tried to find things wrong with Daniel, things they could tell the king, things they could… but there weren't any. None. They couldn't find anything at all.

Except there was just one thing: every day, three times a day – without fail, no matter what – Daniel went to his room, closed the door, and prayed.

They smiled to themselves. "Let's get the king to make a law – no one is allowed to pray to anyone EXCEPT TO THE KING! Daniel won't obey this law and he will be punished!"

They were pleased with themselves for being so clever and hurried off to tell the king. The king liked their idea. He didn't know they were tricking him. So he made it into law: "Everyone must pray – only to ME! If you don't, the lions will have you for their dinner!"

Daniel heard this. He knew it was wrong to pray to anyone except God. He had to do what God said – whatever it cost him, even if it meant he would die. So Daniel went to his room. Closed the door, and prayed.

That's just what the bad men knew Daniel would do. They skipped straight off to tell the king. "Oh, Your Most Glittering Highness, your law says, does it not, that everyone must pray to you alone, Sire?"

"Yes," said the king.

"Oh, Majesterial Brightness, then correct us if we're wrong but … it would seem that Daniel is praying to God – NOT TO YOU!"

The king was sad. He had been tricked! He didn't want to hurt Daniel, but he couldn't change his law. And so he let the soldiers throw Daniel to the lions. "May your God, who you love so much, rescue you!" the king said.

The king went back to his palace, but he didn't sleep that night. Not a wink. He tossed and turned until finally, at the first glimmer of dawn, he leaped out of bed and ran straight to the den. "Daniel?" he cried. "Has your God rescued you?"

"YES!" Daniel shouted.

"God sent an angel to close the lion's mouths!"

And there, resting his head on Daniel's lap, was the biggest lion, purring like a little kitten.

The king brought Daniel out of the den. "Look!" he said. "Daniel doesn't even have a scratch!"

The king made a new law: "Daniel's God is the true God. The God who Rescues! Pray to him instead!"

God would keep on rescuing his people. And the time was coming when God would send another brave Hero, like Daniel, who would love God and do what God said – whatever it cost him, even if it meant he would die.

And together they would pull off the Greatest Rescue the world has ever known.

* * *

**Review**

* * *

**Next:**

* * *

**Chapter 20**

**God's messenger**

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_**Jonah and the big fish, from Jonah 1-4; Hebrews 1:1-2**_


	20. God's Messenger

**Author's Notes:** here's a new chapter...

* * *

**Summary:** The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the story beneath all the stories in the Bible. It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And in the story Jesus is at the center of it all.

* * *

**Disclaimer:** I don't own "The Jesus Storybook Bible" or anything, all the credit goes to Sally Lloyd-Jones. This is to help others understand the Bible easily for free.

* * *

**Chapter 20:**

**God's messenger**

* * *

_Jonah and the big fish, from Jonah 1-4; Hebrews 1:1-2_

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GOD HAD A JOB for Jonah. But Jonah didn't want it.

"Go to Nineveh," God said, "and tell your worst enemies that I love them."

"NO!" said Jonah. "Those are bad people doing bad thing!"

"Exactly," said God. "They have run far away from me. But I can't stop loving them. I will give them a new start. I will forgive them."

"NO!" said Jonah. "They don't deserve it!" _I'll run away!_ Jonah said to himself. _Far away- so far away that God won't be able to find me. Then I won't have to do what God say! It's a good plan!_ He said, because, as far as he knew, it was a good plan.

But, of course, it wasn't a good plan at all.

It was a silly plan. (Because you can run away from God, but he will always come and find you.)

Jonah went ahead with his not-very-good plan. "One ticket to NOT Nineveh, please!" he said and boarded a boat sailing in the very opposite direction of Nineveh.

Well it wasn't long before a fierce wind blew, and the boat started to lurch and pitch and roll – and everyone started turning green. Jonah sat bolt upright in his bed. You see, the first thing that went wrong with Jonah's not-very-good plan was that God sent a big storm after him.

The sailors couldn't sail their ship properly. "We're sinking!" they screamed, and started throwing everything overboard – suitcases, food, whatever they could find.

By now Jonah knew that the storm was his fault. "Throw me in, instead!" he shouted to the sailors. "And the storm will stop!" The sailors weren't sure. "It's the only way you can be saved!" Jonah cried.

And so, one … two … three …

SPLASH!

No sooner had Jonah hit the water than the waves grew calm, the wind died down, and the storm stopped.

Just then, when Jonah thought it was all over, when he was sure he was going to drown, God sent a big fish to rescue him. The fish swallowed Jonah whole – with one big gulp.

Jonah must have thought he'd died, it was so dark in there, like a tomb. But then he smelled the rotting food and felt the slimy seaweed and knew he wasn't dead. He was in the belly of a fish!

Sitting there in the darkness for three whole days, Jonah had plenty of time to think. Pretty soon he realized his plan was, well … very silly plan indeed. He was sorry for running away. He prayed to God from inside the great fish and asked God to forgive him.

After three days, the fish spat Jonah safely out onto a sandy beach.

Just then, Jonah heard someone calling his name. "Go to Nineveh," God said.

And this time? Jonah said, "YES!" He went straight to Nineveh and told everyone God's wonderful message.

"Even though you've run far from God, he can't stop loving you," Jonah told them. "Run to him! So he can forgive you."

The people of Nineveh listened to Jonah, and they started loving God. They learned to do what God said and to stop running away from him – just like Jonah.

Many years later, God was going to send another Messenger with the same wonderful message. Like Jonah, he would spend three days in utter darkness.

But this Messenger would be God's own Son. He would be called "The Word" because he himself would be God's messenge. God's Message translated into our own language. Everything God wanted to say to the whole world – in a Person.

* * *

**Review**

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**Next Chapter:**

**GET READY!**

* * *

**_GOD'S PEOPLE_**_ return from being slaves, from Nehemiah 8-10, Malachi 1, 3 and 4, Ezra 7_


	21. GET READY!

**Author's Notes:** here's a new chapter, any questions you can ask and I'll answer to the best of my ability...

* * *

**Summary:** The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the story beneath all the stories in the Bible. It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And in the story Jesus is at the center of it all.

* * *

**Disclaimer:** I don't own "The Jesus Storybook Bible" or anything, all the credit goes to Sally Lloyd-Jones. This is to help others understand the Bible easily for free.

* * *

**Chapter 21:**

**GET READY!**

* * *

_**GOD'S PEOPLE **__return from being slaves, from __**Nehemiah 8-10, Malachi 1, 3 and 4, Ezra 7**_

* * *

**HAVE YOU EVER **been to a party that lasted a whole week? How about a sermon that went all day?

Well, that's what happened to God's people after they came home from being slaves. They had forgotten how God wanted them to live, or who they were supposed to be. So Ezra and Nehemiah read them the rules God had given Moses.

But something odd happened: the more the sermon went on, the sadder they all got. Why? Was the sermon that boring? No, not really. It was strange, you see. As Ezra read the book of rules, it worked like a mirror. It showed them what they were like, and they didn't like what they saw. They saw that they had not been living the way they should.

They saw that they were cruel and selfish.

"We've blown it," they cried. "Now God will punish us!"

They thought they knew what God was going to do. But they didn't. Of course, they might have picked up a clue from Ezra's name, which means "Help is here!" And an even stronger one from Nehemiah's name, because his name means "God wipes away our tears." And that, as you'll see, is just exactly what God was getting ready to do.

Erza looked at God's children. Great, hot tears were welling up in their eyes and streaming down their cheeks. He stopped his sermon – mid-sentence – and shut the book. "We're having a party!" he shouted.

And so that's just what did! All week long.

"God wants us to be happy!" Ezra said.

All day they listened to stories about the wonderful things God had done for his people. How he made the world. How he spoke to Moses and showed them to a special land. How he rescued them – no matter what, time after time, over and over again – because of his Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love.

They remembered how God had always, all through the years, been loving his children – keeping his promise to Abraham, taking care of them, forgiving them.

Even when they disobeyed. Even when they ran away from him. Even when they thought they didn't need him.

Then God told his children something more …

* * *

I can't stop loving you.

You are my heart's treasure.

But I lost you.

Now I am coming back for you.

I am like the sun that gently shines on you,

chasing away darkness and fear and death.

You'll be so happy –

You'll be like little calves running free in an open field.

I am going to send my Messenger – The Promised One.

The One you have been waiting for.

The rescuer.

He is coming. So, get ready!

* * *

It had taken centuries for God's people to be ready,

But now the time had almost come for the best part of God's Plan.

God himself was going to come. Not to punish his people – but to rescue them.

God was getting ready to wipe away every tear from every eye.

And the true party was just about to begin …

* * *

Review

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Next Chapter:

**He's here!**

* * *

_The Nativity, from __**Luke 1 - 2**_

* * *

_**Author's Note:**_

_****_P.S: The part where it says "God himself is coming" is not actually God coming down from heaven but is the Messenger he's sending that's coming, the reason I said that God himself was coming is because it's kinda true because because his Messenger will represent God so that the people could see how he is actually like, that's why he is called "The Word" because he will be God's Messege.


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